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Re: Rüdiger von Kirchmayr
His own counting started already on 20.9.41:
No.1 20.09.41 Spitfire NW Fecamp; YT (YouTube) on 21.9.41 at 17:27 4(Eins)/JFS-5 FB Nr.1
20.09.41 Spitfire; YT 21.9.41; second Spitfire hit 4(Eins)/JFS-5 FB Nr.2
About this day in his diary:
JFS 5 intercepted a raid against Cherbourg with three Schwärme (=12 Bf.109s) led by Oblt. Zink leading, Oblt. Bohatsch (Obfw. Pfeiffer, Kirchmayr, Morgenweck) and Lt. Seller. Ofhr. Albert(-Rudolf) Morgenweck of the Bohatsch Schwarm was shot up and crash-landed in Bf.109E-7 Wnr.2678 (100% loss) riddled with hits, DOW. JFS 5 attacked from 8500m from above with over 800km/h, dispersing the big RAF Spitfire formation of about 50, then individual dogfights followed. Kirchmayr observed the loss of two planes (one to the right going down in spirals emitting black smoke, one more to the right burning). Kirchmayr evaded one attacking Spitfire by turning and saw another below that was flying a light left turn. He approached the unsuspecting Spitfire to 100m, then the enemy pilot saw him and tried to turn hard right, but he hit the Spitfire with a deflection shot in the fuselage and black smoke emitted from the engine. The Spitfire turned on it´s back and tumbled down burning into the clouds. Kirchmayr levelled out at 4800m. On the way back he was accompied by Albert at 7000m, he radioed „Schwalbe 7 Spit behind you“, Kichmayr evaded the burst by turning down, zooming up and hitting the Spitfire from 30 meters in the oil cooler. The Spitfire vanished with a white stream with his high speed, whilst Kirchmayr was followed by 3-5 more Spitfires. The attack by one Spitfire evaded Kirchmayr by turning hard left and then on the back into other direction into the clouds, then heading SE. When Kirchmayr landed at Octeville (near Le Havre) he noted, that he had taken three hits (maybe Bf.109E-7 Wnr.6511 emergency landing near Fecamp with 15% combat damage). One Uffz. Had been s/d (8./JG 26 lost Lt Dzialas to 20-30 Spitfires of 71, 111, 222 Squadron), one Fw. (Morgenweck) MIA. At18:35 a phone call from a coastwatcher of the Heer from Douville confirmed the dead of Morgenweck.
This recounting sounds possible in terms of names given and location, but do we have evedince in sources of BA for JFS 5?
On 20.9.41 JG 2 pilots claimed 13 successes over Spitfires between 16:36-17:05h (for the loss of 1 pilot, 1 a/c damaged), JG 26 claimed 7 Spitfires between 16:40-17:00h, JFS 5 3 victories (around 17:27). RAF Fighter Command lost 7 Spitfires on 20.9.41:
Spitfire Vb W3179 (Sgt G.P. Hickman, POW) of 92 Sq. RAF FTR from Sweep (p.m.).
Spitfire Vb AB962 (F/Lt L.S. Pilkington, KIA) of 111 Sq. RAF FTR from Circus 100 (p.m.).
Spitfire Vb (Sgt D.G. Harwood, POW) of 111 Sq. RAF FTR from Circus 100 (p.m.).
Spitfire Vb (Sgt I.A. L. Milne, POW) of 452 Sq. RAAF FTR from Circus 100B (p.m.).
Spitfire Vb W3622 (Sgt C.J. Squibb, POW) of 602 Sq. RAAF FTR from Circus 100B (p.m.).
Spitfire Vb P8787 (Sgt W.L: Brown, KIA) of 602 Sq. RAAF FTR from Circus 100B (p.m.).
Spitfire V W3816 (F/Lt R.G.A. Barcley, DFC, evaded via Spain) of 611 Sq. RAF FTR from Circus 100B (p.m.); crash-landed in France after attack by Bf.109.
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